Reinforcement for concrete fence-posts.



J. ROGERS. REINFORCEMENT FOR CONCRETE FENCE POSTS.

APPLIGATIOK FILED 00-1222, 1912..

1,126,5W, Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

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WITNESSES I I ATTORNEY J. ROGERS. REINFORGEMENT FOR CONCRETE FENCE POSTS. APPLICATION FILED 001222, 1912. 1, 1 265m, Patented Jan. 26, 1915.

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JOHN ROGERS, F MADISON, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 NATIONAL CONCRETE MACHINERY (30., OF MADISON, WISCONSIN, A. CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

REINFORCEMENT FOR CONCRETE FENCE-POSTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

lPatented Jan. 26, 1915.

Application filed October 22, 19121. Serial No. 727,199.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J OHN ROGERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Madison, in the county of Dane and State of Wisconsin, have invented a new and useful Reinforcement for Concrete Fence-Posts, of

which the following is a specification.

placement, while one end of each connecting.

This invention has reference to improvements in reinforcements for concrete structures, especially fence posts, but capable of use in other connections, and the object of the invention is to provide a reinforcing unit capable of being quickly placed in the desired form to constitute a column-like reinforcement for posts and other like structures, but which may be initially in a spread out condition whereby many reinforcements may be bundled together very compactly to be formed when needed into the desired shape with little or no aid from tools.

In accordance with the present invention wire or strand is sufficiently prolonged and bent at the free end into a locking loop to engage the remoter terminal one of the series of longitudinal wires,-.hars or rods in a manner to hold these longitudinal rods in a columnar group.

The invention will he best understood froma consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, with the further understanding. that while the drawings show a practical form of the invention, it is by no means limited to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings, but may be changed and modified so long as such changes and modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention. o

In the drawings :Figure 1 is an elevation of a reinforcement unit spread out in position for shipment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a unit assembled in columnar form as it is used in a post or other column-like structure of concrete. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of a completed post with the reinforcement embodied therein. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the post of Fig. 3, but drawn to a different scale. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 55of Fig. 3 but drawn to a larger scale.

Referringv to the drawings there is shown a reinforcement composed of longitudinal rods, strands or wires 1 and transverse wires or connecting strands 2, the number of each type of strands depending upon the size and character of the structure to be reinforced. Usually the longitudinal rods 1 are df larger gage than the transverse connecting strands or wires 2, but not necessarily so. Where the column to be reinforced is of constant diameter the strands 1 may be in. parallel relation one to the other, but where the column tapers thenthe strands 1 will approach toward one end of the structure and the connecting wires or strands 2 will. correspondingly shorten toward that end of the rods or strands 1 agreeable to the smaller end of the column. The longitudinal rods 1 are preferably, though not necessarily, crimped or corrugated to a slight extent to prevent any tendency toward longitudinal movement. The connecting wires 2 are formed at appropriate intervals with partly closed loops 3, each of a size to incompletely embrace a corresponding rod 1 to an extent that the open mouth of the loop is less in diameter than that of the rod, and these loops are spaced apart in accordance with the desired spacing of the rods 1 at'the points where the connecting wires 2 are placed. It is customary to provide connecting wires 2 near the ends ofthe group of rods 1 and at one or more intermediate points in accordance with the length of the column and reinforcing rods 1. lhe wires 2 are sufficiently pliable to permit the laying out of the unit made up of the rods 1 and wires 2 in a substantially flat con-, dition, but without spreading the loops 3 sufiiciently to permit the escape of any of the rods 1, and it is customary to manufacture the units in such form so that many units may be piled one on the other and "bound together inany appropriate manner for shipment, thus occupying but a comparatively small space, and even a materially less space than would be the case were the reinforcements assembled in columnar form and tension 4 permits the formation of the unit into a closed column, as indicated in'Fig. 2, with the mouths of the loops all toward the longitudinal center line of the column, with the loops 3 adjacent to the manipulating member 5 in embracing. relation to that rod 1 remote from the extension 4, and by an appropriate formation of the loop 3 at the outer end of each extension 4 this loop may be made to snap over the appropriate ter-. minal rod 1 suliicientlv to hold the columnar form after the reinforcement has been embedded in the concrete structure. The terminal or latch loop 3, designed to lock on the longitudinal rod 1 at the other end of the series, will give sufliciently to snap over such rod, because the mouth of the loop is not so nearly closed as in the other loops when the reinforcement is bent into a closed column form. However, the terminal portions of the wires 2 may have their loops bent into more firm embracing relation with the corresponding rods 1 by the use of an appropriate tool after the unit has been formed into the column shape. The corrugated or crimped form of the rods 1 serves to hold the wires 2 in the position at which they have been initially placed.

The reinforcement unit is of a character which permits its ready manufacture by anappropriate machine, an example of' which is disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 815,462, filed January 30, 1914, wherein the rods may be fed at proper intervals for spacing and the wires 2 may be drawn into the machine and bent or looped about the rods 1 at suitable spaced points both with respect to the rods and the wires without the necessity of wrapping the wires about the rods, but only bending the wires about the rods to an extent sufficient portionscof these wires to approach closer than-the diameters of the rods. By this means the units are made up of both longitudinal and transverse memberseflectively anchored together with the proper spacing of the parts and in a condition best adapted for shipment while the transverse wires yield sufliciently to permit the folding together of the unit to such an extent that the unit will assume a columnar form with those portions constituting the long edges of the unit united firmly andunyieldingly.

It is a matter of importance thatthe longitudinal rods 1 should be held firmly in spaced relationwhile in the mold, in View -of the method practised of manufacturing the post, which method is shown in my prior to cause Patent No. 811,873, dated February 6, 1906. If insecurely connected by the wires 2, the jostling or shaking of the mold would displace the rods to an extent that they would fail in their purpose of properly reinforcing the post. By the peculiar connection between the wires and the rods, the latter are maintained in proper position while. the filling of the cement around the reinforcement is going on, and until the cement has fully set.

The use of the unit is apparent from Figs. 3, 4-and 5. In Fig. 3 the unit is shown embedded in aconcrete post 6, an exterior view of which is shown in Fig. 4. This post may have produced therethrough a suitable number of passages 7 for the reception of fence wire or holding devices for fencing.

It will be observed from the showing of Figs. 3, 4 and 5 that the unit when bent into columnar form may be entirely embedded in a concrete body of appropriate compositi on and will render such concrete body particularly resistant to rupturing forces, while the stiffness of the reinforcement is greatly enhanced by the structure thereof, since the rods 1 are stiffened by the crimping, and the connecting wires 2 each forming a substantially closed band serve to further stiffen as well as connect the rods 1.

What is claimed is 1. A reinforcement unit for columnar form concrete structures in initially flat shipping form, comprising a series of longitudinal members each of a length corresponding to the length of the columnar form loops and having its open mouth portion of a diameter to snap over a longitudinal memher in locking engagement therewith when the reinforcement unit is bent into the column form to hold the unit'-in such form,

the open mouths of thepartly closed loops being thenall presented toward the longitudinal center line of the column, whereby thev bending of the unit brings such partially closed loops into tighter engagement with thelongitudinal members.

2. A "reinforcement unit for columnar form. concrete structures in initially flat shipping form, comprising a series of longitudinal crimped or corrugated rods 0r wires, and a series of transverse-connecting wires each formed into. equi-spaced incomplete loops partially embracing the longitudinal Wires and each loop having its mouth portion of less diameter than that of a longi{ tudinal wire, each transverse wire also being -5 provided with an extension beyond the series of longitudinal wires connected thereby and there formed into an additional partly closed loop spaced from the series of longitudinal members in agreement with the spacing of the other loops and having its open mouth portion of a diameter to snap over a longitudinal wire in locking engagement therewith when the unit is bent into columnformto hold the unit in such form,

and themouth portions of all the loops being then directed toward the longitudinal :eenter line of the column, whereby the bending of the unit brings said partially closed loops into tighter engagement with the lon gitudinal rods or wires.

3. p .A reinforcement unit for columnar .form concrete structures in initially flatshipping form, comprising-a series of longitudinal members, each of a length corresponding to the length of the columnar form concrete structure, and a series of transverse connectlng members each formed into a series of substantially equi-sp'aced and partly closed loops, each having a mouth 5) portion of less diameterthanthat of a lon-i gitudinal member, and each partially, ein-'- bracing a longltudmal member, the transverse members each having one end extended beyond the series ot longitudinal members and there formed into a partly closed loop spaced from the series of longitudinal members in agreement with the spacing of the other loops, and having its open mouth portion of a diameter to snap over a longitudinal member in locking engagement therewith when the reinforcement unit is bent into the column form to hold the unit ment with the longitudinal rods or wires, each connecting wire beyond the additional loop having an extension constituting a manipulating member and representing a portion of that part of the connecting wlre joining the reinforcement structure with the next one'in order of manufacture, whereby the units may be severed without waste from a continuously manufactured web.

In testimony, thatI claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoafiixed my signature in the presenceof two witnesses.

Jorm ROGERS.

Witnesses:

ALFRED 1. Rooms. ALICE M. KINNEY. 

